>> welcome to "teen kids news." i'm livia. let's start with our top story. when organ transplants were first performed, they were considered medical miracles. today, we tend to take the transplant of organs, like a heart or a kidney, for granted. what many also take for granted is that if they or someone they love should ever need a new organ, one will be available. that's not necessarily the case, but, as tyler reports, one teen is working to change that. >> lauren shields seems like a typical kid -- riding her bike,

hanging out with her big brother... >> [ laughs ] >> ...walking the dog. and swas a typical kid... until six years ago, when her life took a terrible turn. >> well, it was around the time of my seventh birthday that i started feeling just very tired, and i just was not like myself at all. i didn't have any appetite, and i lost all my energy. >> doctors discovered lauren's heart was seriously damaged. >> so...it was just [exhales] a complete shock, just to know that from one day to the next, i'd gone, like... i was never born with any defect or anything. i had simply just caught a virus that attacked my heart. >> that's how lauren wound up on a list -- the long, long list of americans waiting for a transplant. >> we have, nationwide, 117,000 people are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, and simply put, there are not enough people registered as organ donors to save -- to save

lives. >> fortunately for lauren, a donor came through in time. she received her new heart and started on the road to recovery. she spent so much time in the hospital, she and her mother created a book about her experience. wanting to make a difference, lauren teamed up with the organization donate life. they urge people to enroll as organ donors. >> my friend lauren received a heart transplant. i have a liver transplant. and we have -- between us, we have about nine extra yearof life already. >> so, you'd think that lots of people would sign up to be organ donors, but lauren learned that many don't, and that gave her a new mission in life. she helped persuade her state legislature to pass a new law. it changed the driver's license form. >> in the past, that section on that form was optional. now when people are going to get their license or renew their license, they will have to answer the question, do they want to become an organ donor? they can either check "yes," or

they can check "skip this question." >> by being required to check either "yes" or "skip," people can't just ignore the question like they could before. it's believed that extra moment of consideration might be enough to make more people willing to become organ donors. oh, and, by the way, the name of the legislation? lauren's law. >> wow. that was, like, incredible, to actually have a law named after me, and that could ultimately make a difference in organ donation and hopefully increase the numbers of enrolled donors. it was just a great experience. >> ♪ oh, say, can you see ♪ by the dawn's early light >> lauren shares her story as often as she can. for example, she makes it a point to attend the ceremony where new american citizens are sworn in. >> it's a great opportunity to tell the new citizens of this great country about the opportunities they have to participate in our democracy, and one of those things being saving lives. >> and the governor signed into law...

into law that bears her name -- "lauren's law." [ applause ] >> at age 13, lauren is already an experienced public speaker. >> just when it seemed that all hope was lost, the doctors came in and told mommy that my donor was found. i had an angel that was willing to give me the gift of life. the very next day, i had a heart transplant that saved my life. by enrolling in the organ-donor program, you will someday help people just like me. [ applause ] >> it's just amazing how this young girl stands up there and tells people about her journey, which, in turn, inspires others to join this movement, you know, to sign up and become organ donors. i mean, just today, we had close to 50% of all the people there signing up. >> prior to the speech i... didn't want to be an organ donor, but after hearing how it changed her life and gave her another opportunity, i decided to become an organ donor. >> i love to help people. i love to give for people.

so it's, you know -- it's in my heart, so it's -- it's touched me a lot, her story. >> lauren would have gladly passed up this way to become famous, but she is using her story to spread an important message, and so can you, even if you're not yet old enough to register to be a donor. >> teens can help by learning about organ donation, discussing it with their friends and family, and, if it resonates with them, you know, advocating for it. >> lauren is very aware that her life is possible because someone else's life ended. she's forever grateful to people who choose organ donation if a tragedy occurs. >> it's the best gift that you will ever give anyone. you're giving the gift of life, and your life is living on in someone else. >> in fact, the organs from a single donor can save the lives of eight people. to find out more, there's a link on our website.

>> ever hear the saying, "all's fair in love and war"? well, i'll tell you why that's not true. [ "taps" plays ] >> the nation paused to remember president john f. kennedy, who was assassinated 50 years ago. thousands of people gathered at dealey plaza, the site of where he was shot in dallas, texas, on november 22, 1963. president obama and clinton, along with first lady michelle obama and hillary clinton, laid a wreath at the eternal flame, where jfk was laid to rest at arlington national cemetery, the fateful day never forgotten. pe said the memory of president kennedy will live on. >> i just think he had this worldwide magnetism. it was just incredible. everyone in the u.k. -- even -- we have a grandson who is just 9, and he knows about jfk. >> accomplished a lot in the

short time he was with, and i think his legacy still resonates with generations. >> oxford university press unveiled the 2013 word of the year -- "selfie." the publisher said it's seen a big jump in the usage of the word in the past year. smartphones have made it easier for people to take self-portraits, thanks to popular sites like instagram. "selfie" was added to the online version of the oxford dictionary and may go into the traditional version in the future. for the first time ever, pope francis publicly displayed relics believed to be the bone fragments of the first pope, saint peter. the relics, placed in a jewel box, were shown during a mass celebrated by the pontiff in st. peter's square which commemorated the end of the catholic church's celebration of the year of christian faith. the relics were first found in 1939. the faithful have prayed over saint peter's tomb for more than 2,000 years. for "teen kids news," i'm eric shawn, "fox news channel in

the classroom" >> most of us have never experienced what it's like to be in a war, and hopefully, we never will, but thousands of people around the world aren't so lucky. for them, war is a very real danger, and that's where the american red cross plays a vital role. the red cross helps educate people that whether you're a soldier, prisoner of war, or a civilian, you have certain rights and protections. it's all part of what's called international humanitarian law. alexa found out more about that law through a special red cross program for teens. >> okay, just so we're all on the same page, let's make sure we aee owhathe wd "humanitarian" means. >> humanitarian? when you're, uh, for the good of the people? >> humanitarian -- isn't that, like, someone who's really into, like, human rights -- something like that? >> it's, like, what should be done, like, morally.

>> humanitarian is someone who's -- thinks about other people's feelings and other people -- the people around them. >> to have humanity? >> it has to do with, like, human rights and, like, just, like, causes and stuff. like, my mom does a lot of, like, humanitarian stuff, so... >> humanitarian can mean two things. one, it could be the person who helps to alleviate human suffering, or could be the acof helping out people in need. >> and she should know. amanda works for the american red cross. so, what is international humanitarian law? >> international humanitarian law, also sometimes known as the geneva conventions, are basically the rules of war. >> and what's happening today? >> today is something that we call "raid" cross. it's a series of simulations that teaches young people about the rules of war. so, the idea is that there are two opposing armies -- one, the haddarian army, and the other one is the deldarian army, and they've been in conflict for a long time.

the point of having two separate armies is the way that we can show simulations with prisoners of war and humanitarian workers and indiscriminate weapons. >> can i join in? >> absolutely! >> so i joined the group haddarians, and we got ready for the things to begin, which they did, with a bang. >> everyone up! let's go! let's go! stand up! get up! >> so, the first simulation that we do is called "prisoners of war," and what we do is we sort of surprise the students. they're not anticipating it. we take away their rights to food and water and the ability to contact their family members, we make them do push-ups and sit-ups, and we run them around, and they have to repeat a song. >> 10 jumping jacks. let's go. repeat after me. first came the soldiers. >> all: first came the soldiers. >> then came the sailors. >> all: then came the sailors. >> jumping jacks. let's go. then came the prisoners of war. >> all: then came the prisoners of war. >> and the whole concept is to teach them that prisoners have

rights, as well, and that they are allowed to get in touch with their family members. they are allowed to speak to the international committee of the red cross. >> at first, it was a little bit exciting, 'cause we were moving around and doing stuff, but then, i actually realized that it stood for something -- like, for example, the push-ups were representing, like, torture and physical activity. and then, later, we learned that that was actually violating e geneva laws that are human rights. >> next, we learned about humanitarian assistance. >> this activity teaches students about what it feels like to be a humanitarian-aid worker. so, instead of being members of the haddarian army, they are now members of the international committee of the red cross. >> the mission is to carry a box of supplies through a dangerous area. >> okay. >> okay, now put it down. >> put it down? >> yeah. >> wait, wait, wait. hold it, and then lift your right leg up. >> uh-huh. >> and step over that -- there's a chair next to you. >> the people behind the first person in line had to give directions on how to navigate

through the field without hitting any of the mines, and have to pass the coat and eould package d the blindfold the person behind them. >> left leg. >> together: aww! >> you're dead. >> oh, but you're gonna >> together: awww. [ laughter ] >> i was up next. with a lot of help from my teammates, i made it safely through. but it didn't end there. the border guard didn't seem to care that i was a humanitarian-aid worker. >> uh, alexa.u? >> what aryou guys doing here? >> uh, i delivering this package. >> what's in it? >> um... >> what's this cross? >> i don't -- >> you guys are -- what is this? >> we're with the red cross. >> what is that? i don't know what that is. >> i think your government allowed us to be here, so... >> no, they didn't. we don't know anything about you. what are you guys doing? >> what did you learn from this? >> that it's really difficult to even work in the red cross, because when you visit different places, there's always danger and a sense of unfamiliarity, and you're not always treated like you should. >> so, here's a question.

you come across two soldiers from opposing armies. both are wounded. who do you help first? we'll find out the answer when we return. >> there's been a battle! many people are injured! come! come! >> we're at a special program run by the american red cross. it's called raid cross. we're learning that there are rules that must be followed in warfare, and for this exercise, we have to hurry to help the injured. >> we call this our "wounded soldier" simulation, and the idea behind this is that we want to teach the students about the priorities of those who are wounded, and that is actually not based on which army you're on, which side you believe in. >> so, you're expected to help the soldiers that aren't on your

side? >> absolutely. so, after a soldier has stopped fighting and has put down their weapons, they now have certain rights, because they are not actually engaged in the conflict anymore, so they are supposed to be treated as -- the same as the soldiers on your side. so, in this activity, you guys are soldiers. you're part of the haddarian army. and i'm going to hand out weapons. you're only going -- allowed to stand from here back. and take a look. take a couple minutes to see which target you actually aim -- plan to hit. you're not going to throw every ball at every target, 'cause then you're going to hit all of them, right? so you want to be able to see the pictures first -- see who you're hitting -- before you make that decision, 'cause it's a big decision, right? this activity, called "artillery," is a scenario where the students throw all different size of weapons -- they're just small balls ranging to large -- at photos that represent either soldiers or civilians. and the idea is that sometimes, the targets are people who we

mean to hit, and sometimes it's other civilians who are not involved in the conflict. >> i'm going to aim for the guy in the trees. okay. >> we just want to teach the students about the idea that some people get hurt when maybe they're not intended to be hurt. >> so, i tried aiming for a war tank and ended up accidentally hitting over another image that contained two soldiers trying to help out a friend, so it really shed some light on the perspective that soldiers have to go through every single day when they are trying to aim for a certain target in a battlefield. [ gavel bangs ] >> this is the trial for the international committee of the red cross into the international criminal court. >> the last exercise in the program is a trial for those accused of committing war crimes. >> you're all being held accountable now for the actions that you made throughout the

day. >> so, why is there a trial? >> the students need to know that there are rules to international humanitarian law, and if they break those rules, they need to be held accountable. i now sentence you to two years in prison. [ gavel bangs ] >> so, what did you think of the raid cross program? >> well, i think it was really great. >> in this program, i was a captive soldier. i learned how it was like to be a prisoner at war and the advantages and disadvantages i had. >> so, overall, it was very eye-opening. >> the red cross was created over 150 years ago because of the need for humanitarian action during wartime. today, the american red cross continues this mission by inspiring our generation, encouraging us to not only learn about international humanitarian law, but to respect and support it. for "teen kids news," i'm alexa.

>> their work is on display in a world-famous museum... and they're just kids! >> to have your artwork exhibited in a prestigious museum is one of the highest honors an artist can receive. as emily reports, for some kids, it's a dream come true. >> you've probably heard of van gogh... cézanne... and picasso. [ record scratches ] but how about minerva... eliomar... or jenny? okay, so they're not as famous as these artists, but they do share something in common. like them, their work has been on display at the world-renowned guggenheim museum of art. >> i feel honored. >> i find it pretty amazing, and i'm kind of surprised that my artwork would be here in the same building as other famous artists -- artists like picasso

and many others. >> it's all thanks to a program called "learning through art." >> guggenheim began the program in the early '70s, when the arts were being cut from the new york city public schools. many of the schools don't have art at all, and so this would be the only art program that these students have in their elementary-school years. >> i think they get the chance to be artists and work with a real, live artist who comes into their school and brings in lots of wonderful materials that real artists use. >> towards the end of the school year, a big party is held at the museum. some of the student artists, family, and friends are on hand to celebrate. [ applause ] after the speeches were over, the kids led everyone up the museum's famous circular walkway to their exhibition.

here, more than 100 art creations are on display. >> the learning through art program is helping you to learn about art -- different pieces of famous art -- and to help you use what you learn to make -- to design and make your own things. >> for example, one of the program's assignments was to create a picture that showed the past, the present, and the future, all on one page. >> and these are, like, olden-days houses. this is, like, more modern, like now houses, and the rest is, like, futuristic. >> besides paintings, there are works of art made from things like wood... clay... paper... and even fabric. >> this is a vest, this is a belt -- a belt, and this is a bag -- a handbag. >> we really want the kids to not only have a fun, engaging experience with art, but to understand that art and learning

are connected and that art is a way to communicate and to actually share ideas and express things that are on their minds. >> art is important because... with machines and electronics and everything like that, you don't really get to express your feelings that much. >> i think that every time i grab a paintbrush and i just start drawing whatever i can, i pour my emotions into the paper. >> i think we've got some future masters here in our midst! >> by the way, here's a bit of trivia for you. the unique design of the guggenheim's building was the creation of the visionary architect frank lloyd wright, so i guess you can say that the kids who got their work exhibited there all had the "wright" stuff. >> it's been a pastime in school yards and city streets for years. now, in some schools, it's being recognized as an official sport.

>> it's an activity we're used to seeing on the sidewalk. >> every girl jumps rope at some point. [ whistle blows ] >> but not every girl jumps like this. these are stan's pepper steppers. the world-champion double-dutch team is showing new york public schools how it's done. >> listen out for the whistle. katie, get ready to go in. [ whistle blows ] >> new york is the first school district to introduce double dutch as an official sport. >> anybody can learn it. it just takes time to get to a certain level of double dutch. >> competition-level double dutch is scored on a point system. there are three components. the first is compulsory. that means there are certain requirements. the second component jumpers are judged on is speed -- how many

times the left foot hits the ground in two minutes. peter proves double dutch isn't just for girls. >> i like double dutch because it's different. it's, like -- most boys play basketball, but since i'm a boy and i do double dutch, it makes me stand out. >> many, many years ago, this was a sport that was dominated by men. the reason -- women were wearing skirts. experts say dutch settlers first brought the game to the united states. that's why british colonialists later called it "double dutch." it's now played worldwide. new york public schools hope it will get more kids interested in sports. >> kids like to jump. [ chuckles ] so it doesn't matter whether they're bouncing up in the air or what. kids like to jump. >> and it helps us fight obesity -- childhood obesity -- and -- and diabetes, as well. >> only 10% of boys and girls in new york public schools participate in sports.

>> i like double dutch because it keeps you in shape, you learn a lot of new things, and you make good friends from it. >> and you learn about teamwork. the third component of competition is freestyle. jumpers are judged on execution and originality. creative routines involve acrobatics, quick hand-offs, and even splits. after watching freestyle, i tried my style. i think i'll save the splits for next time. [ whistle blows ] for "teen kids news," i'm nicole. [ applause ] yeah! >> well, that wraps it up for this week's "teen kids news," but we'll be back next week, so see you then.

steves: beautifully preserved lucca is contained entirely within its iconic ramparts. most cities tear down their walls to make way for modern traffic. but lucca kept its walls, effectively keeping out both traffic and, it seems, the stress of the modern world. the city is a bit of a paradox. while it has europe's mightiest renaissance wall, it hasn't seen a battle since 1430. locals, like my friend and fellow tour guide gabriele calabrese, treat their ramparts like a circular park. and with plenty of rental bikes available, visitors can enjoy a lazy pedal around its 2-1/2-mile circuit, as well. so, gabriele, this is a renaissance wall. what's the difference between a renaissance wall and a medieval wall? calabrese: the medieval wall is thin, because they had no problem with harrows or stones.

but in the renaissance time, the cannons, they became very strong, and they became a problem, so that's why it was so thick. steves: lucca's wall didn't come cheap. but all that hard work and investment combined with clever diplomacy earned the city a long period of independence. and to this day, the proud lucchesi have a strong sense of identity. rather than showcasing famous monuments, lucca's appeal is in its relaxed old-world ambience. stroll around. take time to let the city unfold. romanesque churches seem to be around every corner, as do inviting piazzas busy with children at play. the main pedestrian drag is via fillungo. strolling here, past elegant old storefronts, you'll get a glimpse of lucca's rich past,

as well as its charming present. piazza amphitheater was built around an ancient roman arena. while the arena's long gone, its oval shape is a reminder of the city's classical heritage. locals have been gathering here for 2,000 years. today's attraction -- a flower market. piazza san michele also has ancient roots. it's hosted a market since roman times, when it was the forum. today it's dominated by the church of san michele. towering above its fancy romanesque facade, the archangel michael stands ready to flap his wings, which, thanks to a crude mechanical contraption, he actually did on special occasions. in its heyday, lucca packed over 100 towers within its walls. each tower was the home and private fortress of a wealthy merchant family.

towers were single rooms stacked atop each other -- shop, living room, and then the kitchen. this one, lucca's tallest surviving tower, is famous for being capped with a bushy little forest. those making the climb are rewarded with commanding city views, all in the shade of its amazing trees. nearby, the church of san giovanni hosts nightly concerts celebrating the music of hometown composer giacomo puccini. woman: [ singing operatically ] steves: he was one of italy's greatest opera composers. puccini's delightful arias seem to capture the spirit of this wonderful corner of italy. [ singing continues ]

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[dramatic electronic music] ♪ [ice rumbles and splashes] [seabirds twittering] - you can see this ice-- [water rushing] - alaska's kenai peninsula is packed with wildlife, a place where eagles and bears outnumber the people. and there are opportunities by the boatload and kayak load and horseback load to see them. one great way to see alaska's wildlife is by kayak. you may do all the work,